Trials and Tribulations, The Story of Kasumi
by Lucavex
Summary: Chapter 3 is up! Sorry about the wait!
1. Prologue: Tribulations

Prolouge  
  
~~I never wanted to be a simple man...~~  
  
Hayate leaned against a wooden post, brushing a strand of brown hair away from his eyes. It's been months... still no sign of his sister, he had hoped she'd be found sooner, but then again he didn't, as her discovery meant her death as well, silently every day he prayed there was no word on her whereabouts.  
  
~~I'd rather live all my days as a lion than a thousand as a lamb...~~  
  
Night had fallen within the forest, months of running, hiding, fighting. This was the way of the shinobi.. The way of Hayate, not her.. A long lock of golden-red hair fell across lithe shoulders, keen ears always open for anything out of the ordinary. This was Kasumi, sister to Hayate, and betrayer of the shinobi..  
  
~~I only wanted to see, what would happen to me.. If I follow the road that leads to the palace we all seek...~~  
  
Ayane glanced about, she had been tracking Kasumi for weeks now.. She had to find her first. She owed that to her, to let her die like a true shinobi.. not at the hands of some nameless assassin. her footsteps went unheard within the forest, even to the easily skittered forest dwellers. They did not run until Ayane was only mere feet away. Tonight she was close, she sensed an aura of power so familiar.  
  
~~So did you come here lamenting what you missed? Overcome and seduced by this, the beautiful abyss..?~~  
  
Kasumi lied in the soft underbrush of the forest, propping one leg up on the other as she leaned back, relaxed for the first time in a long while. A waxing moon hung overhead. Three months this night, when she defeated Ryu, betraying the shinobi. All to see her dear brother, Hayate, who now hunted her with such relentless determination. maybe it was best.. if she gave up. Living in flight was no way to live.  
  
~~Watcha come here to see? Watcha tryin to be? You're like a shadow that swallows life now you're crawling over me~~  
  
A dark brown ponytail cascaded over a steel pauldron. forest green eyes gazing over the shoulder of Hayate.  
  
"You seem tense, Hayate. Any word of your sister?" The voice belonged to Hayabusa.  
  
"No, Ryu." Hayate replied with a heavy sigh, he was actually glad there was no word.. but wanted his sister's misery to end at the same time.  
  
"I have someone special looking for her." Ryu whispered into Hayate's ear, under the commotion of the Loreli.  
  
~~The time's come again.. It's nearing the end... But I feel no shame, do you feel the same?~~  
  
Dark red eyes pierced the midnight forest, the buttons on her black shinobi outfit glitter lightly in the pale moon. She was getting closer, the aura of power becoming more apparent as she travelled deeper within the trees.  
  
"It's only a matter of time, Kasumi.. I know what you're after." Ayane whispered to herself as she suddenly broke into a dead run.. it was now a chase.  
  
~~'Cause I know I'll be alright.. If I make it through tonight...~~  
  
An aura of power hit her like a ton of bricks, jolting her from a restful sleep, the first restful sleep in days. It was comming her way.. fast.  
  
"Ayane" she muttered, leaping into a dead, futle run..  
  
Even in their childhood Ayane had been the better athlete. She would catch up with her.. and they would have to fight. Until then... Her eyes searched for an acceptable battle-ground which may give her the advantage.. A rustle in the trees, a stick crushed underfoot, Kasumi spun on her heel.  
  
"You've been training, Ayane.." She remarked with a smirk, dropping into her Mugen-Tenshin battle stance.  
  
~~Well I swear I'll try to change, once again....~~ 


	2. Fight or Flight

Chapter 1, Fight or Flight  
  
~~I don't want to fight! Please, leave, Hayabusa~~  
  
Unwanted memories flooded into her mind, The last Dead or Alive tournament.. She participated on a rumor that Hayate may have been there, though the shinobi forbid her to go, she ran away.. And she still runs, to this day. She lay her head on her knee, a silent tear falling as the memories assaulted her.  
  
~~I promised Hayate.. I cannot let you die~~  
  
The leaves of the autumn trees fluttered lightly to the ground, whipping about in the wind in a futile attempt to stay aloft. The forest had always calmed her, such a serene peacefullness that couldn't be found elsewhere.  
  
~~I cannot let you go.~~  
  
Hayabusa's voice rang out in her head, he was only trying to protect her, from this pitiful excuse for an escape. She was almost tired of running, the long days of darting between trees and over trecherous mountains have since worn on the poor girl. The next Dead or Alive tournament would be starting in only days... That would be her cover for now. The Sinobi wouldn't assault her on world television. The way of the Dead or Alive tournament was always strange.. Camera crews followed each fighter once they all registered.. and were sent to 10 different locations on the planet. Once two fighters encountered one-another, they would fight. So in a way the DOA was as much of a hunt as it was a tournament.  
  
"Ryu.." She whispered to herself, curling up into a ball, hugging her knees.  
  
She'd been in a state of deperession since she'd fled from her home, her friends.. They now hunted her, and they still do even in this quiet moment. Every muscle in her body told her to give up, but her heart screamed to keep going.. Somewhere in her wrecked mind she knew there was a solution somewhere. Her ears picked up a sound, not of an animal, but human.. Almost immediatly she was on her feet, her wakasashi knocking away a thrown shuriken.  
  
"Amatuers.." she muttered under her breath. Running was the hard part, not stopping to fight.. The Shinobi Hayate had sent after her were child's play at best. Did he not think she would be a problem..? Her combative nature yearned for the thrill of a close fight. She idly knocked away another shuriken, tilting her head curiously to her opponent, dressed in all black. She dashed forward, her Mugen-Tenshin Ninjitsu taking the man by suprise. One furious backflip kick, and he was down, groaning in pain. Kasumi placed her weapon to the man's throat, removing his shroud.  
  
"We'll end your life soon, betrayer.." An unfamiliar man hissed. Kasumi narrowed her normally beautiful eyes into a cruel sneer.  
  
"I await the day, Shinobi." she growled, before ending the man's life in one quick slice. She stood, wiping her blade with a leaf before returning it to the sheath on her lower-back. She looked around for more, none to be found.. The attacks were getting more frequent. The Dead or Alive would start soon, she had to register.. Hayate would too, she knew it.. she had to see him.  
  
Turning quickly, she darted deep into the forest, to find the nearest city and get a plane to New York, her hopes not having risen, but for the first time in weeks, they hadn't fallen either.  
  
~~Remember, that the way of the Shinobi.. Is a harsh one~~  
  
"Ryu...." 


	3. Fear

Chapter 2: Fear  
  
"Damnit.."  
  
She was running again, after that display with the shinobi, she would be more wary. He knew he was being watched, in addition to watching Kasumi. It was hard to keep pace with her, and not alert her to a disturbance, and a few times he'd been discovered.. Kasumi was tired of killing however, and made no aggression toward him as long as he remained non-assertive. So he watches... for now.  
  
"Where are you going now, Kasumi.. You're running out of places to hide..."  
  
The man looked at his compass, she was headed south. She had already fled to the United States.. Where would she go now? Her student visa was good for 5 years, hiding under the guise of a college student for now. That's how he met her. She was a regular student at first, but frequent days missed, classes late.. More then once he had seen her in the community laundromat, washing blood from her clothing.  
  
"South... What's south...?"  
  
Unrolling a map, he placed a finger on the paper, tracing possible routes.  
  
"New York... What's in New York, Kasumi..."  
  
He didn't know much about Kasumi.. Only what he saw of her at college, and what he saw on the side. He wasn't a threat, which is why he is still alive apparently. Kasumi scared him to be honest. She didn't things to the shinobi which assaulted her that made even his strong stomach turn. The sweet smiling girl in college was only a facade, the real Kasumi was a trained killer, effective in everything she was taught as a shinobi, including the honor. From what he knew, the shinobi were after her for something she did, and she was once a shinobi too.  
  
This was the story of his life, he would make his mark on the world with this. His journalism program at college had taught him much, but improvisation was critical in a delicate situation such as this. She knew she was being watched by him.. He had even taken a few discreet pictures here and there, for photographic proof. He'd managed to stay undiscovered for at least four days now. A personal record. His stealth abilities were improving, partly from watching Kasumi's technique, and partly from practicing constantly. He was starting to feel like a shinobi himself. He was no master of martial arts. A mere black belt of jujitsu. Which pales in comparison to the skill this young woman showed. He was awed by her, but afraid as well.  
  
She was running deeper into the forest now. He followed closely behind, mocking Kasumi's technique almost perfectly, however a little more noisily. Luckily she was too pre-occupied with keeping her pace to notice his sloppy footsteps. His energy had increased since he started tracking her as well. Long days of running left him panting heavily at the end of the day, barely within collapsing from exhaustion. Now however he was comfortable with keeping her pace.. Was it because he had more stamina.. or because she slowed down? The attacks on her were becoming more frequent, almost one per day now...  
  
An arm wrapped around his neck. Immediatly his heart jumped to his throat, pumping rapidly. This tip of a small sword pressed firmly at his chest. One of the shinobi which was after Kasumi had finally found him first. He struggled until the tip drove itself in a little, pain shot through his form and he ceased, breathing heavily, a bit of blood dribbling from the new wound. He closed his eyes, awaiting the death which was sure to come. A smell invaded his nose, sweet.. rose petals?  
  
"Kasumi...." 


End file.
